The International Code Council (ICC) is promoting the 42nd annual Building Safety Month this May with the theme “Safety for All: Building Codes in Action.”

This educational and interactive Building Safety Month campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of building codes that ensure safety in the spaces where we live, work, and learn.

All communities need building codes to protect their citizens from disasters like fires, weather-related events such as floods, and structural collapse. Regularly updated building codes and a strong system of strict code enforcement protects homes, offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, stores, and places of entertainment.

Building Safety Month is an international celebration of all aspects of building safety that helps families, employers, and leaders understand and appreciate the best practices that keep our neighborhoods safe.

Building Safety Month unites industries, associations, academia, and government under a common goal to protect the public by creating a safe and resilient built environment.

The Building Safety Month campaign is supported by four core themes that will be highlighted throughout the month, including:

Week One (May 1–8) Planning for a Safe and Sustainable Tomorrow Making communities more resilient with science and technology-based code requirements.

Week Two (May 9–15) Exploring Careers in Building Safety Working with the industry to train the next generation of building safety professionals.

Week Three (May 16–22) Understanding Disaster Mitigation Preparing communities for natural and man-made disasters.

Week Four (May 23–31) Creating a Safe and Abundant Water Supply Making smart decisions about water safety and conservation.

“This year’s Building Safety Month focuses on issues that currently impact our everyday lives: building safety, energy, water, and disasters. These factors are a constant concern for our homes, schools, businesses, and communities. It makes the role of modern building codes even more important as we strive to keep them well-built and resilient,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO.

Building Safety Month is presented by the International Code Council (ICC), a nonprofit association that is focused on building safety worldwide. The ICC provides a wide range of building safety solutions and develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable, and resilient structures.

For more than four decades, the ICC, its members, and a diverse group of professionals from the building construction, design, and safety communities have come together to celebrate Building Safety Month.

Building Safety Month provides education for the public about solutions that improve the safety, sustainability, affordability, and resiliency of buildings, infrastructure, and communities. Contemporary planning, building materials, design, and construction can make our communities more resilient in the aftermath of disasters, fires, and other events.

The ICC provides materials to promote Building Safety Month with everything you need to host a successful event including safety tips, promotional material, and educational packets.

Use the campaign toolkit resources provided to plan meaningful actions to promote Building Safety Month. Some great ideas include:

• Issue a press release
• Encourage an elected official to issue a proclamation
• Submit a letter to the editor of the local newspaper
• Create a presentation for staff using the PowerPoint template provided
• Hand out the Building Safety Month general brochure
• Spread the word on social media with #BuildingSafety365
• Host a safety meeting or toolbox talk on a relevant building safety topic, like electrical safety
• Provide home safety tip sheets
• Plan a family event with children’s activities and giveaways

Participating in safety awareness campaigns throughout the year is a great way for organizational leadership to show their continued support for their health and safety program. Awareness campaign events can be fun at the same time they are introducing important workforce and community safety concerns.

Not all awareness campaigns will be the right fit for every company, but there are so many to choose from throughout the year that it is certain safety management can find causes that are meaningful for the workers they support.